Many expats live in Thailand on less than 45,000 baht a month

[rooster59]

 

Farangs no longer walking ATMs - they are looking as poor as many Thais!

 

 

A common theme on social media and forums is that Thais think of hooking up with or marrying farangs as their ultimate meal ticket.

 

They are said to see dollar signs in their eyes and see the "hansum" foreigner as nothing more than a walking ATM to be pressed when needed and ignored like part of the furniture at other times.

 

But no more - that is if a Thaivisa survey is to be believed.

 

In the far ranging survey of a respectable 1,429 expats in the kingdom respondents were asked to reveal their monthly income.

 

Almost a quarter (23%) were said to be trying to get by on less than 45,000 baht a month. Many of these may be earning less as the parameter was 25-45K.

 

 

Many people would see this as subsistence level for living alone - let alone taking care of a Thai girlfriend, wife and kids.

 

Or, heaven forbid, the extended family.

 

Almost 100 respondents didn't even come up to this level of relative poverty.

 

They were trying to survive on less than 25,000 baht - about what a recently graduated twenty something Thai person might try to scrape by on in Bangkok.

 

The good news is that the survey showed that expats may own their own rooms, houses and vehicles making the need for rent unnecessary.

 

Roughly half of the respondents earn over 65,000 baht and many a lot more.

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2018-08-05

[coulson]

9 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

They were trying to survive on less than 25,000 baht - about what a recently graduated twenty something Thai person might try to scrape by on in Bangkok

Didn't know 7/11 paid so well

[mok199]

 drive a meter taxi and find a bag full of cash in the back seat...happens twice a week here in T-land

[darksidedog]

Bit negative in the reporting I thought. After all 75% of us are doing very nicely, Thank You! Two in ten are getting by, with only a fairly small fraction on the floor, or very close. Their numbers are probably fairly accurate, but I personally believe that we should not all be written off as broke, just yet.

[canthai55]

36 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

that is if a Thaivisa survey is to be believed.

555

[yellowboat]

Another intellectually stimulating article about money, dosh, moola, coin, fat stacks, scratch, dough, cabbage, cheddar, dead presidents, dinero.   Been broke once in my 30 years living in Asia.  I know how it feels.  I also know the only way out is through education and effort.   The struggle is interesting worthy of prose, laughs, tears.  The struggle, though hard, is a great intellectually driven adventure.  One you never forget.  The counting money is not something you can tell your friends.  That is boring and in bad taste.   The journey is important.  I wish those who are with little means the best of luck. 

[Ramdas]

Perhaps they’re starting to realise the reality that farangs aren’t as rich as the Thais were convinced to be,  it may give us a break but I doubt it, considering that in some places prices for us westerners are different.

This while Thais appear much richer in showing off their goods ?

[CLW]

Didn't know 7/11 paid so well

Maybe around 10,000 per month like so many working in retail and service jobs. And they are still alive, have food everyday and lead a passable life. So please TV stop spreading myths and foreigners should stop moaning that you can't survive with or less than 25k per month. Of course if you drink everyday, only eat out and with western food, probably frequent some bars it can be difficult....
But other than that with a moderate lifestyle 25k is doable in BKK, more even in smaller cities or upcountry.

[silver sea]

Quote from article:

“The good news is that the survey showed that expats may own their own rooms, houses and vehicles making the need for rent unnecessary.“

 

So for some ThaiVisa readers, rent is unnecessary, because they sleep in (or on) their own vehicle. Good news indeed!

[MaxYakov]

My Bangkok name is "ATM". Adopted after one of my gals indicated concern that I might think that she considered me an ATM (in the same SMS asking me to deposit 1000 baht into her bank account). The satire of my telling them my adopted name is completely lost on them. This should not surprise anyone, I suppose.

[brianp0803]

Many Thai people earn less than 15,000 baht a month. If someone make three to four times their salary would be considered rich enough  to have enough money to share with them.

 

Many expat over 50 living in Thailand very likely have assets in their home country in excess of a million dollars.

 

 

[james1995]

25,000 baht a month?  More like 7-8000 baht according to my wife.

[eggers]

As usual, a stilted report with emphasis on lower end (23%) what about majority (77%)??  

Plus, no mention of respondent composition (Av. Age, Status, etc)

 

[Tradewind777]

You can rent a room in BKK for 3000baht and if you cannot live on 1000baht a day you need lessons in money management or pull your head in and live more modestly.

[david555]

Not showing yourself as rich is the best thing to do to stay rich in (especially ?) Pattaya ….so.....

[Maradona 10]

A very clear dynamic here is that most of the farangs with money don't seem to do much, ie most are criminals, or in some cases have gained wealth through stocks and property, but even those types may still be a little careful still as they know it won't last or they may want to leave it behind to family etc where crims just think the gravy train will keep going down that track...the ones that do work are I suppose on salaries between 20 - 100k a month.

[mercman24]

i think a few comparisons needed here. ok UK/THAILAND , my monthly  , UK, flat- 404 pounds, Th-204 (with sea view gym and pool) ,POLL TAX Uk 77, Th zero,. CAR Uk 30,(tax/ins) (ex petrol), Th zero,(not needed) Motorbike Uk  20 (ex petrol) Th, peanuts. TV licence Uk 150, Th zero,  water 40. Uk,  Th 3., electricity Uk 40, Th,  11 pounds,  will not include food as that can be open ended, and they say some are struggling on 45,000 baht, ?

[BoganInParasite]

The Thai wife and I are living quite well in northern Thailand with expenses averaging 30,000 baht a month (including expensive medical insurance for me). Once we've moved into the home we are building and stop paying rent I expect we'll drop down to 25,000 per month.

[geriatrickid]

40 minutes ago, darksidedog said:

Bit negative in the reporting I thought. After all 75% of us are doing very nicely, Thank You! Two in ten are getting by, with only a fairly small fraction on the floor, or very close. Their numbers are probably fairly accurate, but I personally believe that we should not all be written off as broke, just yet.

No, not negative, if you put the information in its context. . Insightful and perhaps painful reading. The article  helps us to recognize that there is a sizeable group who are living pension/benefits/annuity payment to payment. This explains why some folks are touchy on issues of  health insurance or resentful/quick to snap when others discuss their homes or lifestyles.

 

It is a serious issue for some people now who are uninsured as sickness or injury  will be a death sentence if they cannot  pay for proper treatment. The people on the subsistence incomes are not kids nor recent graduates. The previous info release established that the number of young people has  shrunk, and to be honest I doubt that the  folks on gap year or long term adventures responded.

 

My takeaway is that there is an aging population of farangs in Thailand, and they are poor. It's a reflection of our home countries in that regard. The difference is that it never used to be like this, and in that it is a wake up call  as I bet these "poor" people were not poor when they arrived. Through bad investments, changes in pension laws, FX changes  and of course some mistakes, their wealth  has  evaporated. If it encourages some people to review their  savings/pension planning, then it is a positive article.

[BEngBKK]

I think the surway was silly.

I answered that I live for less than 25000/Month, but I earn more that 60000... ?

Since my wife own the house and it is already paied out and we have no children,  we do not have high expenses....And she earn more than me, so she newer ask for money.......

(And YES..... There are nice Thai women in Thailand.... Not all are gold diggers)


 

[FritsSikkink]

25 minutes ago, CLW said:

Maybe around 10,000 per month like so many working in retail and service jobs. And they are still alive, have food everyday and lead a passable life. So please TV stop spreading myths and foreigners should stop moaning that you can't survive with or less than 25k per month. Of course if you drink everyday, only eat out and with western food, probably frequent some bars it can be difficult....
But other than that with a moderate lifestyle 25k is doable in BKK, more even in smaller cities or upcountry.

They have more earners in the same house and considerable debt. So please stop spreading you have a moderate lifestyle on 25k. You compare yourself with Thai minimum wage earners. You have to live (more survive) here because in your home country you would be very, very poor.

[55Jay]

My Mom lives in San Diego, California.  She "gets by" on social security, I think it's about 12 to $1,400/mo and about $500 paid quarterly from a small investment.  She has a small mortgage, about $300 something a month, $220/mo HOA fee, I think a couple hundred in health insurance (Kaiser) and whatever Medicare involves, then all the usual bills - internet/tv, electric, etc.  She babies her 1995 Toyota Avalon, trying to make it last until she's unable to drive solo anymore.

 

There's not a whole lot of discretionary money left over.  I figured there were a fair few here in roughly the same financial situation. 

[david555]

5 minutes ago, BEngBKK said:

I think the surway was silly.

I answered that I live for less than 25000/Month, but I earn more that 60000... ?

Since my wife own the house and it is already paied out and we have no children,  we do not have high expenses....And she earn more than me, so she newer ask for money.......

(Yes..... There are nice Thai women in Thailand.... Not all are gold diggers )


 

I believe you ….but....are they beautiful too …??? ?

[BEngBKK]

1 minute ago, FritsSikkink said:

They have more earners in the same house and considerable debt. So please stop spreading you have a moderate lifestyle on 25k. You compare yourself with Thai minimum wage earners. You have to live (more survive) here because in your home country you would be very, very poor.

WRONG!!!

2 Years ago I worked in BKK, Earn 80.000 / Month, Rented a 2 room appartment (60m2) in a nice middle class neighbour hood, went to  saxephone 1 time every week.
I used about 30000 / Month without thinking about money .........

Sorry.....

[jaltsc]

• "...respectable 1,429 expats..."

I'm an expat and to be honest, I doubt that there are that many "respectable" expats in Thailand. If we were respectable, we wouldn't be here. 

 

[BEngBKK]

5 minutes ago, david555 said:

I believe you ….but....are they beautiful too …??? ?

Yess.....You just have to meet a woman with education, instead choosing the first one that spread her legs.....

[Beggar]

I could spend a lot more than the about 40.000 I need every month. But I don't know for what. Okay I don't use the night life here just because I want to stay healthy.

[bamukloy]

11 minutes ago, brianp0803 said:

Many Thai people earn less than 15,000 baht a month. If someone make three to four times their salary would be considered rich enough  to have enough money to share with them.

 

Many expat over 50 living in Thailand very likely have assets in their home country in excess of a million dollars.

 

 

yes, as you say, poor old buggers can live ok here on 20-30k baht per month

 

but that is money earned from bank interest from lump sum savings or investments back home

 

which is a little bit different than have to go out teaching English and kowtowing to ส$$holes you will find on the job!

[CLW]

They have more earners in the same house and considerable debt. So please stop spreading you have a moderate lifestyle on 25k. You compare yourself with Thai minimum wage earners. You have to live (more survive) here because in your home country you would be very, very poor.

Come down from your high horse

[david555]

Just now, BEngBKK said:

Yess.....

you must be a lucky lottery winner …?….(but I did not expected an other answer   ?  )